KR20210099316A - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a refrigerator includes: a cabinet having a storage space; a door opening and closing the storage space; an evaporator provided in the storage space, and cooling the storage space; a duct assembly extended from an upper side of the evaporator in a vertical direction to guide cold air supplied to the storage space; a fan motor assembly combined with the bottom of the duct assembly, and suctioning the air cooled by the evaporator to forcibly blow the air into the duct assembly; and a rear cover placed such that the evaporator, the fan motor assembly and the duct assembly are shielded, to form a rear wall of the storage space, and having an inlet and an outlet. The refrigerator can also include: a bottom hole penetrating the fan motor assembly, and opened toward the evaporator to discharge defrosting water; and a discharge guide extended to be inclined from one side of the bottom hole, and formed to hide at least a part of the bottom hole when seen from a lower side. Therefore, the present invention is capable of more effectively discharging water produced from dew condensation.

Description

refrigerator {Refrigerator}

The present invention relates to a refrigerator.

BACKGROUND ART In general, a refrigerator is a home appliance that can store food at a low temperature in an internal storage space that is shielded by a door. To this end, the refrigerator is configured so that the stored food can be stored in an optimal state by cooling the inside of the storage space using cold air generated through heat exchange with a refrigerant circulating in the refrigeration cycle.

Recently, refrigerators are becoming larger and more multi-functional in accordance with changes in dietary habits and the trend of luxury products, and refrigerators with various structures and convenience devices that allow users to conveniently use internal space and efficiently use refrigerators are being released. .

In order to uniformly and effectively cool the inside of the storage space of the refrigerator, an evaporator may be provided in the refrigerator, a fan motor for blowing cool air generated by the evaporator, and a cold air duct for guiding air blown by the fan motor may be provided. .

Representatively, Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 10-2017-0082084 discloses an evaporator, a fan motor, and a duct structure for supplying cold air to the inside of the storage space, and the cold air is distributed to both sides of the rear surface of the storage space, and through the outlet Disclosed is a refrigerator capable of cooling the inside of a refrigerator.

However, in the prior art, a structure for differentially supplying cold air to the duct structures on both sides is not disclosed. Accordingly, recent refrigerators have developed a structure in which a door storage space opened and closed by a separate door is provided on the door of the refrigerator, and cold air is supplied to the separate storage space. In such a structure, the storage space and the separate door storage There is a problem in that all spaces cannot be effectively cooled.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a refrigerator that facilitates discharging of defrost water from the inside of a fan motor assembly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator capable of improving heat exchange efficiency by uniformly performing heat exchange throughout the evaporator.

An embodiment of the present invention aims to provide a refrigerator that prevents a defrosting defect from occurring by preventing an implantation imbalance from occurring on both left and right sides of an evaporator.

A refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a cabinet in which a storage space is formed; a door for opening and closing the storage space; an evaporator provided in the storage space and cooling the storage space; a duct assembly extending vertically above the evaporator to guide cool air supplied to the storage space; a fan motor assembly coupled to a lower end of the duct assembly and forcibly blowing air into the duct assembly by sucking the air cooled by the evaporator; and a rear cover disposed to shield the evaporator, the fan motor assembly, and the duct assembly to form a rear wall surface of the storage space, the rear cover having an inlet port and an outlet port formed therein; It may further include a bottom hole that is opened toward and through which the defrost water is discharged; and a discharge guide extending obliquely from one side of the bottom hole and formed to cover at least a portion of the bottom hole when viewed from below.

The bottom hole may be formed on a lower surface of the fan motor assembly.

The discharge guide may extend from one end of the bottom hole, and may extend in a direction facing the one end of the bottom hole.

The discharge guide may extend in a direction opposite to a rotation direction of a blowing fan provided in the fan motor assembly.

The exhaust guide may extend in a direction crossing a flow direction of air discharged by a blower fan provided in the fan motor assembly.

The bottom hole may be positioned vertically downwardly between both ends of the blowing fan provided in the fan motor assembly.

The discharge guide may be disposed on a bottom surface of the storage space and extend toward a drain pan for discharging the defrost water to the outside of the storage space.

The duct assembly may include a pair of first and second flow passages spaced apart from each other on left and right sides, and may supply cold air into the storage space by the first flow passage and the second flow passage.

A storage space duct connected to the second flow path of the duct assembly and guiding a portion of the cold air flowing through the duct assembly to be supplied to the door side may be further included.

The door may include: a main door that opens and closes the storage space by rotation, a through opening is formed, and a door storage member for forming a door storage space accessible through the opening on the rear side is mounted; It is provided in front of the main door and includes a sub-door that opens and closes the opening by rotation, and the storage space duct may communicate with the door storage space when the main door is closed.

The second flow path may include a main flow path for supplying cold air to the refrigerating chamber; It may include a sub-channel branched from the main flow path and connected to the storage space duct.

The fan motor assembly may include: a fan module including a blowing fan that sucks in an axial direction and discharges it in a circumferential direction; a front housing forming a front surface and having an inlet through which cold air is introduced at a position corresponding to the blowing fan; It may include a rear housing coupled to the front housing to form a rear surface, and forming a space in which the fan module is accommodated and a space in which cold air flows toward the duct assembly.

The evaporator may be disposed to be biased to a side in which the first flow path is disposed based on a horizontal center of the storage space, and the blower fan may be located on an extension line of a horizontal center of the evaporator.

The front housing and the rear housing coupled to each other may include a first guide part extending upwardly from an upper side of the blowing fan and connected to the first flow path, and guiding cool air discharged from the blowing fan to the first flow path; A second guide part that extends from one side toward the second flow path among the left and right sides of the blowing fan to the side and upward and is connected to the second flow path, and guides the cold air discharged from the blowing fan to the second flow path. can

The blowing fan may be rotated in a direction to pass through the first guide after first passing through the second guide with respect to the lower end of the fan motor assembly.

The discharge guide may extend from one side closer to the second guide part among both ends of the bottom hole.

As the discharge guide extends downward, it may extend inclinedly in a direction away from the second guide.

A width of the inlet of the second guide may be larger than a diameter of the blowing fan, and a width of the inlet of the first guide may be smaller than a width of the inlet of the second guide.

The blowing fan may be positioned between the upper end and the lower end of the inlet of the second guide.

The bottom hole and the discharge guide may be located at a position biased toward the second guide part with respect to a vertical extension line passing through the center of the blowing fan.

In the refrigerator according to the proposed embodiment, the following effects can be expected.

The fan motor assembly according to the embodiment of the present invention is divided into two flow paths of the first guide part and the second guide part, and the rotation direction of the blowing fan is the second guide part so that more cold air can be supplied to the second guide part. It may be configured to discharge air in a direction facing.

In addition, a bottom hole through which defrost water or water generated during dew condensation can be discharged is formed at the lower end of the fan motor assembly so that defrost water or water generated during dew condensation can be discharged more effectively.

In addition, a discharge guide extending downward is provided at an end of the bottom hole to guide the defrost water falling downward to a specific location without scattering, so that the defrost water can be discharged more effectively.

In particular, the discharge guide may extend in a direction opposite to the rotation direction of the blowing fan. In addition, the exhaust guide may reduce the amount of air flowing inside the fan motor assembly passing through the bottom hole when the blowing fan is driven.

Accordingly, it is possible to minimize the interruption of the flow of cool air to the evaporator by the air discharged through the bottom hole while the cold air of the evaporator is introduced into the inlet at the lower side of the fan motor assembly. That is, there is an advantage of smoothly discharging the defrost water from the inside of the fan motor assembly and at the same time allowing the cool air flowing into the fan motor assembly from the evaporator to flow smoothly.

In addition, there is an advantage in that the heat transfer efficiency of the evaporator is increased by smoothly flowing air from both left and right sides of the evaporator to the fan motor assembly.

In addition, since smooth air flow is achieved throughout the evaporator, air stagnation in an area adjacent to the evaporator may be prevented, and frost may be formed on the surface of the evaporator and the frost may be prevented from growing.

In addition, even during the defrost operation, the frost is uniformly distributed throughout the evaporator to prevent the formation of a local non-defrost section after the defrost operation, and to prevent the defrost heater from being driven for a long time to improve cooling efficiency and power consumption has the advantage of reducing

1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a front view showing an open door of the refrigerator.
3 is a partial perspective view of an open door storage space of the refrigerator.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view 4-4′ of FIG. 1 .
5 is a front view showing the inside of the cabinet of the refrigerator.
6 is a front view showing a state in which the rear cover of the upper storage space of the refrigerator is removed.
7 is a view showing a state in which the duct assembly and the fan motor assembly are separated according to an embodiment of the present invention.
8 is a front view of the fan motor assembly.
9 is a perspective view of the fan motor assembly as viewed from above.
10 is a perspective view of the fan motor assembly viewed from the rear.
11 is an exploded perspective view of the fan motor assembly as viewed from the front;
12 is an exploded perspective view of the fan motor assembly as viewed from the rear.
13 is a front view of the fan module;
14 is a perspective view taken 14-14' of FIG. 5;
15 is a cross-sectional view 15-15' of FIG. 5 .
16 is a view showing a flow state of cold air in an evaporator and a fan motor assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.
17 is a view showing the flow of cold air in the fan motor assembly and the duct assembly.
18 is a simulation diagram illustrating a cold air flow state in the upper storage space.
19 is a view illustrating an air flow and defrost water discharge structure of the fan motor assembly.
FIG. 20 is an enlarged view of part A of FIG. 19 .
21 is a simulation diagram illustrating an air flow state in the evaporator region.

Hereinafter, some embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to exemplary drawings. In adding reference numerals to the components of each drawing, it should be noted that the same components are given the same reference numerals as much as possible even though they are indicated on different drawings. In addition, in describing the embodiment of the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of a related known configuration or function interferes with the understanding of the embodiment of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In addition, in describing the components of the embodiment of the present invention, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), etc. may be used. These terms are only for distinguishing the components from other components, and the essence, order, or order of the components are not limited by the terms. When it is described that a component is “connected”, “coupled” or “connected” to another component, the component may be directly connected or connected to the other component, but another component is between each component. It will be understood that may also be "connected", "coupled" or "connected".

1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention. And, FIG. 2 is a front view of the refrigerator with an open door. And, FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of an open door storage space of the refrigerator. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view 4-4′ of FIG. 1 .

As shown in the drawing, the refrigerator 1 may include a cabinet 10 in which a storage space is formed, and a door 20 that opens and closes the opened front surface of the storage space.

The cabinet 10 may include an outer case 101 forming an exterior, and an inner case 102 spaced inwardly from the outer case 101 and forming the storage space. In addition, a heat insulating material 103 may be filled between the outer case 101 and the inner case 102 .

The storage space may be vertically partitioned by a barrier 11 , and may include a refrigerating compartment 12 disposed above and a freezing compartment 13 disposed below. The refrigerating compartment 12 may be referred to as an upper storage space, and the freezing compartment 13 may be referred to as a lower storage space. Storage members including a plurality of shelves 14 and drawers 15 may be disposed inside the refrigerating compartment 12 and the freezing compartment 13 .

The freezing compartment 13 may be opened and closed by a pair of freezing compartment doors 22 . The freezing compartment door 22 may be rotatably mounted on the front surface of the cabinet 10 , and may open and close the refrigerating compartment 12 by rotation. The freezing compartment door 22 may be formed to have the same size on both left and right sides, and may be configured to open and close the left and right sides of the freezing compartment 13 independently, respectively. Since the freezing compartment door 22 is provided below, it may be referred to as a lower door.

In addition, the freezing compartment 13 may further include a vertical barrier 131 to divide the freezing compartment 13 into left and right sides. The freezing compartment 13 divided into left and right sides may be opened and closed independently by a pair of the freezing compartment doors 22 .

The refrigerating compartment 12 may be opened and closed by a pair of refrigerating compartment doors 21 . The refrigerating compartment door 21 may be rotatably mounted on the front surface of the cabinet 10 , and may open and close the refrigerating compartment 12 by rotation. The refrigerating compartment door 21 may be formed to have the same size on both sides of the refrigerating compartment 12 and may be configured to independently open and close the left and right sides of the refrigerating compartment 12 . Since the refrigerating compartment door 21 is provided above, it may be referred to as an upper door.

Meanwhile, a display 211 may be provided on one side of the pair of refrigerating compartment doors 21 . The display 211 may display the operating state of the refrigerator 1 .

In addition, the door on the other side, ie, on the right side, of the pair of refrigerating compartment doors 21 may be configured as a double overlapping pair of doors, and such a door may be generally referred to as a DID (door in door) door.

In detail, the refrigerator compartment door 21 may include a main door 23 and a sub door 24 . The main door 23 may open and close the refrigerating compartment 12 , and a door storage space 251 accessible from the opened front may be formed. In addition, the sub door 24 is provided on the front side of the main door 23 to open and close the door storage space 251 . Although not shown in detail, the main door 23 and the sub-door 24 may be shaft-coupled by a hinge device to rotate in the same direction.

An opening 231 penetrating the main door 23 may be formed on the front surface of the main door 23 . In addition, the main door 23 may be provided with a door receiving member 25 that is accessible through the opening 231 and forms the door storage space 251 . The door accommodating member 25 may protrude from the rear surface of the main door 23 , that is, a surface facing the inside of the refrigerating compartment 12 .

In addition, a receiving member opening 252 through which cold air is introduced is formed on the upper surface of the door receiving member 25 . The accommodating member opening 252 may be located at a position facing the refrigerating compartment opening 161 opened on the upper surface of the refrigerating compartment 12 . In addition, a storage space duct 16 for supplying cold air to the door storage space 251 may be connected to the refrigerating compartment opening 161 . The storage space duct 16 may be provided on an outer upper surface of the inner case 102 and may extend from a front end to a rear end of the upper surface of the inner case 102 . That is, the storage space duct 16 connects the door storage space 251 and the duct assembly 40 to be described below, so that the cold air guided by the duct assembly 40 passes through the storage space duct 16 . through the door storage space 251 can be independently supplied.

On the other hand, the sub-door 24 may be formed to have the same width as the front surface of the main door 23 , and may be formed to be seen integrally with the main door 23 when the sub-door 24 is closed. there is.

A door opening device 241 may be provided in the sub door 24 , and when the door opening device 241 is operated, the sub door 24 is opened to expose the door storage space 251 . there is. In addition, the main door 23 can be rotated by holding the handle 26 at the lower end of the main door 23 , and in this case, the main door 23 and the sub-door 24 can be rotated together.

Meanwhile, the refrigerating compartment 12 may be provided with a rear cover 17 forming a rear wall surface of the refrigerating compartment 12 . A plurality of cold air outlets 171a for supplying cold air to the refrigerating chamber may be formed in the rear cover 17 .

The cold air outlet 171a has a structure that communicates with the duct assembly 40 to be described below, and allows cold air flowing through the duct assembly 40 to face the inside of the refrigerating compartment 12 . The duct assembly 40 may be shielded by the rear cover 17 , and a structure in which the duct assembly 40 and the rear cover 17 are combined may be referred to as a multi-duct.

5 is a front view showing the inside of the cabinet of the refrigerator. And, FIG. 6 is a front view showing a state in which the rear cover of the upper storage space of the refrigerator is removed. And, FIG. 7 is a view showing a state in which the duct assembly and the fan motor assembly are separated according to an embodiment of the present invention. And, FIG. 8 is a front view of the fan motor assembly.

As shown, the refrigerating compartment 12 and the freezing compartment 13 may have a structure in which they are independently cooled by the upper evaporator 31 and the lower evaporator 32 , respectively. In addition, the upper evaporator 31 and the lower evaporator 32 may have a structure that is shielded by the rear cover 17 forming the rear wall surfaces of the refrigerating compartment 12 and the freezing compartment 13, respectively, and the refrigerating compartment 12 ) and the inside of the freezing compartment 13 have an independent cold air circulation structure.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the structure of the refrigerating compartment 12 , that is, the upper storage space, is described as an example for convenience and understanding of the description, but the present invention is not limited to the structure of the refrigerator, and the cold air generated by the evaporator is fanned. It should be clarified in advance that it is applicable to refrigerators of all structures that can be supplied using motor assembly and duct assembly.

An evaporator 31 may be provided at an inner lower portion of the refrigerating compartment 12 . The evaporator 31 may be located at one side skewed to the left among the left and right spaces of the refrigerating compartment 12 . In addition, a PCB receiving portion 102a protruding forward may be formed on the right side of the evaporator 31 . The PCB accommodating part 102a may be opened from the rear to be accessible from the rear surface of the cabinet 10 , and may provide a space in which a main PCB for controlling the operation of the refrigerator 1 is installed. For example, the PCB accommodating part 102a may be formed so that the rear surface of the inner case 102 is depressed forward. The evaporator 31 is positioned in a space between the PCB accommodating part 102a and the left side wall of the refrigerating compartment 12 .

The evaporator 31 is for cooling the refrigerating compartment 12 , and a fin type heat exchanger may be used. For example, the evaporator 31 extends in the horizontal direction and is repeatedly bent a plurality of times to form a refrigerant pipe 311 through which a refrigerant flows therein, and the refrigerant pipe 311 passing through the refrigerant pipe 311 . It may include a plurality of cooling fins 312 continuously arranged along the.

The space in which the evaporator 31 and the fan motor assembly 50 are provided is shielded by the lower rear cover 172 to form a space. 50) can be introduced.

In this case, the inlet 537 of the fan motor assembly 50 may be located above the evaporator 31 and spaced apart from the evaporator 31 , and may be disposed at a horizontal center of the evaporator 31 . That is, the blowing fan 511 of the fan motor assembly 50 is disposed in the horizontal center of the evaporator 31 , and when the blowing fan 511 is driven, the entire area including the left and right sides of the evaporator 31 . In the inlet 537, the flow of cold air may be made.

The fan motor assembly 50 may be provided above the evaporator 31 , and the duct assembly 40 may be provided above the fan motor assembly 50 . Cool air flowing in from the evaporator 31 through the fan motor assembly 50 may be supplied to the duct assembly 40 , and the cold air flowing along the duct assembly 40 may be introduced into the refrigerating compartment 12 . supplied to cool the refrigerating compartment 12 . In addition, some of the cold air flowing along the duct assembly 40 may be supplied to the door storage space 251 through the storage space duct 16 to cool the door storage space 251 .

An upper end of the fan motor assembly 50 may be connected to a lower end of the duct assembly 40 . In addition, the fan motor assembly 50 and the duct assembly 40 may be shielded by the rear cover 17 while being mounted on the rear surface of the inner case 102 .

The rear cover 17 may be formed of a plate-shaped plastic material, and may form the exterior of the inner rear wall of the refrigerating compartment 12 . Also, the rear cover 17 may include an upper rear cover 171 and a lower rear cover 172 . The upper rear cover 171 may shield the duct assembly 40 , and the lower rear cover 172 may be configured to shield the evaporator 31 and the fan motor assembly 50 .

In addition, the upper rear cover 171 may form a rear wall surface of an upper region in which the shelf 14 disposed inside the refrigerating compartment 12 is disposed, and the lower rear cover 172 may be the refrigerating compartment 12 . ) may form a rear wall surface of the lower region in which the drawer 15 disposed therein is disposed.

The lower rear cover 172 may protrude further forward than the upper rear cover 171 in order to secure a space in which the evaporator 31 is disposed and a space for cold air to flow into the fan motor assembly 50 . there is.

In addition, a suction port 172a through which air inside the refrigerating compartment 12 is sucked may be formed at the lower end of the lower rear cover 172 , and the position of the suction port 172a corresponds to the lower end of the evaporator 31 . It is positioned at a position where the suctioned air is introduced into the fan motor assembly 50 and can be cooled while passing through the evaporator 31 .

In addition, a plurality of cold air outlets 171a communicating with the duct assembly 40 may be formed in the upper rear cover 171 . The cold air outlet 171a may be formed at a position corresponding to the plurality of shelves 14 provided in the refrigerating compartment 12 . In addition, the cold air outlet 171a may be provided on both left and right sides, respectively, so that at least a portion overlaps with the first flow path 41 and the second flow path 42 of the duct assembly 40 to be described below and communicates with each other. can be formed. In addition, the cold air outlet 171a may be further formed at an upper end of the upper rear cover 171 .

A shelf rail 18 for mounting the shelf 14 may be mounted at the center of the upper rear cover 171 . The shelf rail 18 may extend up and down, and a plurality of mounting holes may be formed to adjust the height of the shelf. The shelf rails 18 are further formed on both sides of the rear wall of the refrigerating compartment 12 to stably support the rear end of the shelf 14 from both sides.

In addition, an air purification device 19 may be further provided at the upper center of the upper rear cover 171 . The air purifying device 19 is for purifying the air inside the refrigerating compartment 12, and although not shown, a fan, a motor, a filter, and a gas sensor are provided therein, which may cause odor in the refrigerating compartment 12. When a component is sensed, it is operated to continuously purify the air inside the refrigerating compartment 12 by sucking and discharging air inside the refrigerating compartment 12 . To this end, air purification passages 191 are formed on both sides of the center of the duct assembly 40 , and purified air outlets 192 communicating with the air purification passage 191 may be formed in the upper rear cover 171 . there is.

The duct assembly 40 may extend from an upper end of the fan motor assembly 50 to an upper end of the refrigerating compartment 12 . In addition, the duct assembly 40 may be formed to have a smaller size than the upper rear cover 171 and may be completely covered by the upper rear cover 171 .

The duct assembly 40 may be formed through a rail mounting part 403 having the shelf rail 18 in the center thereof. In addition, cold air passages 41 and 42 connected to the housing outlets 540 and 550 on the upper surface of the fan motor assembly 50 may be formed in the duct assembly 40 . The cold air flow passages 41 and 42 may include a first flow passage 41 and a second flow passage 42 respectively formed on left and right sides with respect to the rail mounting part 403 .

The first flow path 41 and the second flow path 42 may each extend from the upper end to the lower end of the duct assembly 40 , and guide the cool air discharged from the fan motor assembly 50 to be directed upward. do. In addition, a duct hole 401 communicating with the cold air outlet 171a may be opened in the first flow path 41 and the second flow path 42 . The cold air outlet 171a and the duct hole 401 may be formed in the same shape, and the cold air that is positioned at the same location and flows along the first flow path 41 and the second flow path 42 may flow in the refrigerating compartment 12 . ) can be directed toward

On the other hand, the duct assembly 40 may be formed of an insulating material as a whole. For example, the duct assembly 40 may be formed of a plate-shaped insulating material such as compressed Styrofoam. In addition, the duct assembly 40 includes a front plate 43 forming a front surface, a rear plate 44 forming a rear surface, and the first flow path 41 between the front plate 43 and the rear plate 44 . ) and the flow path forming member 45 respectively forming the second flow path 42 may be formed. Of course, if necessary, at least a part of the front plate 43, the rear plate 44, and the flow path forming member 45 may be integrally formed.

The first flow path 41 forms a flow path for guiding cold air to be discharged from the rear left side with respect to the center of the refrigerating compartment 12 , and the second flow path 42 is based on the center of the refrigerating compartment 12 . A flow path for guiding cold air to be discharged from the rear right side is formed.

In this case, the second flow path 42 may be connected to the storage space duct 16 to further guide cold air into the door storage space 251 . That is, the flow rate of the cold air supplied through the second flow path 42 may be greater than the flow rate of the cold air supplied through the first flow path 41 . Accordingly, the second flow path 42 may have a larger volume than the first flow path 41 , and may have larger inlet and outlet areas than the first flow path 41 .

The second flow path 42 is connected to the main flow path 421 for supplying cold air to the refrigerating chamber 12 and the storage space duct 16 to supply cold air to the door storage space 251 . It may be branched into a sub-channel 422 for The sub-channel 422 may be located further on the side than the main flow passage 421 , and may be formed to have an independent outlet at the upper end of the duct assembly 40 .

Meanwhile, a duct protrusion 402 protruding downward may be formed at a lower end of the duct assembly 40 . The duct protrusion 402 may be coupled to an upper end of the fan motor assembly 50 to guide the fan motor assembly 50 to be coupled at an accurate position.

In this case, the duct protrusion 402 may include a pair of side protrusions 402a and a central protrusion 402b between the side protrusions 402a. The pair of side protrusions 402a may protrude so as to be in contact with the outer ends of the first housing outlet 540 and the second housing outlet 550 of the fan motor assembly 50 to be restrained from each other. In addition, the central protrusion 402b is formed to be in contact with the first housing outlet 540 and the second housing outlet 550 between the first housing outlet 540 and the second housing outlet 550 to be restrained from each other. can be

In addition, a first stepped portion 413 and a second stepped portion 423 may be formed at lower ends of the first and second passages 41 and 42 . The first step portion 413 and the second step portion 423 include a first coupling portion 543 and a first coupling portion 543 extending upward from the upper ends of the first housing outlet 540 and the second housing outlet 550, respectively. 2 may be formed in a shape corresponding to the coupling portion 553. Accordingly, when the upper end of the fan motor assembly 50 and the lower end of the duct assembly 40 are coupled to each other, the first coupling part 543 and the second coupling part 553 are connected to the first stepped part 413 . and the second step portion 423 can be inserted.

At this time, the step height of the first step portion 413 and the second step portion 423 is formed to correspond to the thickness of the first coupling portion 543 and the second coupling portion 553, so that the first housing outlet The inner surfaces of the 540 and the second housing outlet 550 and the inner surfaces of the first and second passages 41 and 42 extend in the same plane as each other, so that cold air flows smoothly. .

The fan motor assembly 50 is configured to have a blower fan 511 provided therein to suck the air of the evaporator 31 and guide it to the duct assembly 40 . The fan motor assembly 50 is opened so that the inlet 537 faces forward, and may be located in the center of the evaporator 31 . That is, the inlet 537 may be formed closer to the first flow path 41 than the second flow path 42 in both left and right directions.

A first housing outlet 540 and a second housing outlet 550 are formed at the upper end of the fan motor assembly 50 by branched flow paths, respectively, and the first housing outlet 540 and the second housing outlet are formed. Reference numeral 550 may communicate with the first flow path 41 and the second flow path 42 of the duct assembly 40 . Accordingly, the air sucked into the inlet 537 by the blower fan 511 passes through the first housing outlet 540 and the second housing outlet 550 to the first flow path 41 and the second flow path. (42) can be fed inside.

Hereinafter, the structure of the fan motor assembly 50 will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings.

9 is a perspective view of the fan motor assembly as viewed from above. And, FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the fan motor assembly as viewed from the rear. And, FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of the fan motor assembly as viewed from the front. And, FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of the fan motor assembly as viewed from the rear. And, FIG. 13 is a front view of the fan module.

As illustrated, the fan motor assembly 50 may include a rotating fan module 51 , and a front housing 53 and a rear housing 52 accommodating the fan module 51 .

The fan module 51 includes a blowing fan 511 for forcing the flow of air, a motor 512 for rotating the blowing fan 511, and a base plate 513 on which the motor 512 is mounted. can do.

The blower fan 511 may be a centrifugal fan that sucks in the axial direction and discharges air in the circumferential direction. In addition, the blowing fan 511 may be configured to rotate counterclockwise when viewed in FIGS. 9 and 14 .

The air sucked into the fan motor assembly 50 by the counterclockwise rotation of the blowing fan 511 may allow a greater flow of air to flow toward the second housing outlet 550 . The blower fan 511 includes a fan base 511a from which a central portion protrudes, a ring-shaped shroud 511b disposed forwardly spaced apart from the fan base 511a, and a front end and the shroud of the fan base 511a. It may include a plurality of blades 511c connecting the 511b.

The plurality of blades 511c are arranged at regular intervals along the circumference of the fan base 511a, and have a predetermined inclination so that air is sucked in and discharged in the circumferential direction when the blowing fan 511 rotates counterclockwise. and may be formed to have a curvature. In addition, auxiliary blades 511d may be formed between the plurality of blades 511c. The auxiliary blade 511d may be disposed between the adjacent blades 511c, and may extend from the shroud 511b between the blades 511c. The auxiliary blade 511d may have a smaller size than the blades 511c and may be spaced apart from the fan base 511a.

Meanwhile, the motor 512 may be fixedly mounted to the base plate 513 , and may be accommodated inside a recessed center of the fan base 511a. In addition, the rotation axis of the motor 512 may be coupled to the center of the fan base 511a. The motor 512 may be accommodated in the inner space of the recessed fan base 511a and may not be exposed to the outside.

A plurality of mounting parts 513a may protrude outwardly from the outside of the base plate 513 , and a mounting hole 513b is formed in the mounting part 513a so that the fan module 51 is installed in the rear housing 52 . ) so that it can be fixedly mounted on the inner surface of the A protruding mounting boss 526 is formed on the inner surface of the rear housing 52 corresponding to the mounting hole 513b, and the mounting boss 526 may be formed to penetrate the mounting hole 513b. .

Meanwhile, the fan module 51 may be fixedly mounted to the rear housing 52 . In addition, a recessed module mounting part 523 may be formed on one side of the rear housing 52 on which the fan module 51 is mounted, and an opening 523a is formed in the module mounting part 523 to form the motor ( 512) and the arrangement and entry of wires connected to it may be possible.

An upper portion of the rear housing 52 may be divided into two parts toward the first housing outlet 540 and the second housing outlet 550 . In detail, the rear housing 52 may include a first rear guide 541 and a second rear guide 551 extending toward the first housing outlet 540 and the second housing outlet 550 . there is. The first rear guide part 541 may extend upward with respect to the module mounting part 523 and may extend to the first housing outlet 540 formed at the upper end of the rear housing 52 . In addition, the second rear guide part 551 may extend laterally with respect to the module mounting part 523 , and may extend to the second housing outlet 550 formed at the upper end of the rear housing 52 . .

In addition, at the upper end of the rear housing 52 corresponding to the first housing outlet 540 and the second housing outlet 550, a first coupling part 543 and a second coupling part 553 extending upward are provided. can be formed. In addition, the upper ends of the first coupling part 543 and the second coupling part 553 are further extended upwardly, and a restraining protrusion 543a which is caught by the first stepped part 413 and the second stepped part 423 is locked. ,553a) may be further formed.

The rear housing 52 forms a generally recessed space 520 to accommodate the fan module 51 inside and form an air flow passage. In addition, a rear flange 521 extending perpendicular to the recessed direction may be formed along the perimeter of the recessed space.

An outer rib 521a may be formed around the rear flange 521 . The outer rib 521a may be formed along the outermost circumferential surface of the rear flange 521 excluding the first housing outlet 540 and the second housing outlet 550 .

In addition, an inner rib 521b may be formed inside the outer rib 521a and spaced apart from each other. The inner rib 521b may be formed to extend while maintaining a predetermined distance from the outer rib 521a, and may be formed along an inner end of the rear flange 521 .

In addition, a middle rib 521c may be further provided between the outer rib 521a and the inner rib 521b. The middle rib 521c may be configured in plurality, and may be continuously disposed along a space between the outer rib 521a and the inner rib 521b. Meanwhile, although not shown, a gasket made of an elastic material may be further provided along a space between the outer rib 521a, the inner rib 521b, and the middle rib 521c. The gasket may be formed of a material such as rubber, silicone, or sponge, and may be compressed when the front housing 53 and the rear housing 52 are combined. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent air from leaking along the periphery of the front housing 53 and the rear housing 52 that are coupled to each other.

Meanwhile, a locking part 522 extending forward along the outside of the rear flange 521 may be formed. The locking part 522 may be formed such that an inside thereof is opened so that the hook 532 of the front housing 53 is caught and constrained. Accordingly, the front housing 53 and the rear housing 52 may maintain a coupled state.

Also, rear screw fastening portions 523 may be formed on both upper left and right sides of the rear housing 52 and one central side of the rear housing 52 . The rear screw fastening part 523 is formed at a position corresponding to the front screw fastening part 533 of the front housing 53 , and is formed to communicate with each other when the front housing 53 and the rear housing 52 are coupled. can be Accordingly, in a state in which the front housing 53 and the rear housing 52 are coupled, a screw through which the screw passes through the front screw coupling part 533 is fastened to the rear screw coupling part 523, and the front housing 53 is and the rear housing 52 may be firmly fixed to each other.

In addition, a wire fixing part 524 for fixing a wire connected to the motor 512 may be formed on one side of one side of the rear housing 52 . Also, a rear bottom hole 525 may be formed at a lower end of the rear housing 52 . The rear bottom hole 525 allows water flowing down along the inner side of the rear housing to be discharged to the outside of the fan motor assembly 50 . The rear bottom hole 525 may be located vertically downward from the center of the blowing fan 511 .

The front housing 53 may be formed in a shape corresponding to the rear housing 52 , and is coupled to the rear housing 52 to include a space in which the fan module 51 can be accommodated and the blower fan. A space is formed to guide the air introduced by the driving of 511 to the duct assembly 40 .

The front housing 53 may form a space 530 with an open rear surface and a recessed forward space so that the blowing fan 511 is accommodated therein and a space through which cold air can flow may be formed. In addition, a front flange 531 extending outwardly along the recessed circumference of the front housing 53 may be formed. An inner rib groove 531a and a middle rib groove 531c may be formed in the front flange 531 .

The inner rib groove 531a may be formed along the inner end of the front flange 531 , and may have a shape corresponding to a position corresponding to the inner rib 521b to be inserted thereinto. In addition, the middle rib groove 531c may be formed outside the inner rib groove 531a and may be formed in a shape corresponding to a position corresponding to the middle rib 521c to be inserted.

That is, when the front housing 53 and the rear housing 52 are coupled, the front flange 531 and the rear flange 521 may be in close contact with each other. At this time, the inner rib 521b and the middle rib 521c are inserted into the inner rib groove 531a and the middle rib groove 531c so that the front housing 53 and the rear housing 52 are accurately aligned with each other. They can be combined and made to be airtight with each other.

A plurality of hooks 532 may be provided along the outer end of the front flange 531 . The hook 532 may be formed at a position corresponding to the engaging portion 522 , and may be formed in a hook shape capable of engaging with the engaging portion 522 .

In addition, front screw fastening parts 533 may be formed on both upper left and right side surfaces and upper center of the front housing 53 . Accordingly, after the front housing 53 and the rear housing 52 are coupled, a screw passing through the front screw fastening part 533 and the rear screw fastening part 523 is fastened to thereby connect the front housing 53 and the rear housing. can be firmly coupled.

On the other hand, the screw may pass through the front screw fastening part 533 and the rear screw fastening part 523 and be fastened to the lower end of the duct assembly 40, and the fan motor assembly 50 and the duct assembly ( 40) may be firmly coupled to each other.

In addition, a front bottom hole 535 may be formed at a lower end of the front housing 53 . The front bottom hole 535 may have a structure connected to the rear bottom hole 525 . In addition, a discharge guide 536 is formed along the front bottom hole 535 so that water inside the fan motor assembly 50 can be discharged downward along the discharge guide 536 .

An inlet 537 may be formed in the front housing 53 . The inlet 537 may have a size corresponding to the size of the shroud 511b of the blowing fan 511 , and may be formed to have the same center as the center of the blowing fan 511 . A circumference of the inlet 537 may be formed in a bell mouth shape and bent toward the inside of the shroud 511b.

Meanwhile, the fan motor assembly 50 may form a flow path toward the first housing outlet 540 and the second housing outlet 550 opened upward by the coupling of the front housing 53 and the rear housing 52 . can

To this end, the upper portion of the front housing 53 may be branched in both left and right sides, like the rear housing 52 , and may extend toward the first housing outlet 540 and the second housing outlet 550 , respectively. In this case, the upper end of the front housing 53 may be formed lower than the upper end of the rear housing 52 . In addition, the upper end of the front housing 53 may be formed with a contact portion 538 bent forward. When the fan motor assembly 50 and the duct assembly 40 are coupled to each other, the contact part 538 is a lower surface of the duct assembly 40 , that is, an inlet of the first flow path 41 and the second flow path 42 . It can be in close contact with the peripheral surface.

In addition, a first front guide 542 and a second front guide 552 extending toward the first housing outlet 540 and the second housing outlet 550 may be formed in the front housing 53 . there is. The first front guide 542 may extend upward from the inlet 537 and is formed to have an inclination that decreases toward the first housing outlet 540 opened from the inlet 537 side. The air discharged in the circumferential direction by the blowing fan 511 may be formed to face the first housing outlet 540 .

In addition, the second front guide 552 may extend from the right side of the inlet 537 toward the second housing outlet 550 . In this case, the second front guide 552 may extend laterally and upwards of the inlet 537 , and may be extended laterally and then upwardly or inclinedly or rounded. In addition, the second front guide part 552 is formed such that at least a portion of a portion extending from the inlet 537 toward the second housing outlet 550 is gradually lowered in the circumferential direction by the blowing fan 511 . It may be formed so that the air discharged to the second housing outlet 550 is directed.

The first front guide part 542 and the second front guide part 552 are formed in shapes corresponding to the first rear guide part 541 and the second rear guide part 551 , and the front housing 53 ) and the rear housing 52 to form a first guide 54 and a second guide 55, respectively. That is, the first guide part 54 may be defined by a space between the first front guide part 542 and the first rear guide part 541 , and the second guide part 55 may 2 may be defined by a space between the front guide 552 and the second rear guide 551 .

The first guide part 54 is located above the blowing fan 511 , and an extension line Lv in the vertical direction passing through the center of the blowing fan 511 is connected to the first guide part 54 and the first guide part 54 . It may be positioned inside the area of the first flow path 41 .

In addition, the second guide part 55 is located on the side of the blowing fan 511 , and an extension line in the left and right direction passing through the center of the blowing fan 511 passes the entrance of the second guide part 55 . may be formed. In particular, the inlet of the second guide part 55 may extend in a tangential direction to the rotation direction of the blowing fan 511 . In addition, the width D2 of the inlet of the second guide part 55 is formed to be larger than the diameter D0 of the blowing fan 511 , and the blowing fan 511 is located at the lower end of the fan motor assembly 50 . ) can be extended upwards. Therefore, when the blowing fan 511 rotates, resistance of cold air discharged in the circumferential direction through the blowing fan 511 can be minimized, and the cold air supplied to the refrigerating compartment 12 and the door storage space 251 is reduced. flow can be obtained.

In particular, the width D2 of the inlet of the second guide part 55 is significantly larger than the width D1 of the inlet of the first guide part 54 so that the second flow path is larger than that of the first flow path 41 . (42) can supply more cold air. In addition, the second guide part 55 and the second guide part 55 may be sequentially disposed in the rotation direction of the blowing fan 511 with respect to the lower end of the blowing fan 511, so that the second Cold air supply to the guide part 55 can be made more smoothly.

Meanwhile, a support protrusion 539 protruding forward may be further formed on the front surface of the front housing 53 . The support protrusion 539 may support the rear cover 17 disposed in the front from the rear. The support protrusion 539 may be fastened with a screw penetrating the rear cover 17 and stably support the rear cover 17 so as not to flow or deform.

Hereinafter, a state in which the fan motor assembly 50 and the duct assembly 40 are assembled will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings.

14 is a perspective view taken 14-14' of FIG. 5; And, FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view 15-15' of FIG. 5 .

As shown in FIG. 14 , the fan motor assembly 50 may be coupled to the lower end of the duct assembly 40 . At this time, the first housing outlet 540 and the second housing outlet 550 of the fan motor assembly 50 are connected to the lower ends of the first and second passages 41 and 42, respectively, and the blower fan ( 511) so that the air blown from it can flow.

In detail, the first guide part 54 formed in the fan motor assembly 50 may communicate with the first flow path 41 . In this case, the first coupling part 543 formed at the upper end of the fan motor assembly 50 may be seated on the first stepped part 413 formed at the lower end of the duct assembly 40 .

In addition, the inner surface of the rear housing 52 is formed in a planar shape as a whole, and the upper end of the first guide part 54 forms the same plane as the inner surface of the first flow path 41 . Therefore, the cold air discharged in the circumferential direction of the blowing fan 511 by the rotation of the blowing fan 511 can be smoothly introduced into the first flow path 41 through the first guide part 54 . do.

Likewise, the second guide part 55 may also communicate with the second flow path 42 . The second coupling part 553 formed at the upper end of the fan motor assembly 50 may be seated on the second stepped part 423 formed at the lower end of the duct assembly 40 .

In addition, the inner surface of the rear housing 52 is formed in a planar shape as a whole, and the upper end of the second guide part 55 forms the same plane as the inner surface of the second flow passage 42 . Therefore, the cold air discharged in the circumferential direction of the blowing fan 511 by the rotation of the blowing fan 511 can be smoothly introduced into the second flow path 42 through the second guide part 55 . do.

Meanwhile, cold air may be introduced into the inlet 537 of the fan motor assembly 50 by driving the blowing fan 511 . In this case, the cold air under the fan motor assembly 50 may have a structure introduced into the inlet 537 from the front of the fan motor assembly 50 .

Due to this structure, the cold air may be concentrated on the inner surface of the rear cover 17 facing the inlet 537 while the cold air is introduced into the inlet 537 . In addition, the temperature of the refrigerating compartment 12 adjacent to the rear cover 17 may be locally lowered due to the concentration of cold air, which may cause a problem of supercooling.

Accordingly, the heat insulating material 173 may be disposed on the inner surface of the rear cover 17 . For example, the insulator 173 may be a vacuum insulator having a thin thickness and excellent thermal insulation performance. The heat insulating material 173 may be attached to the rear surface of the rear cover 17 , and it is possible to prevent the front surface of the rear cover 17 from being overcooled even when cold air is concentrated at a location adjacent to the inlet 537 . In addition, the heat insulating material 173 may have a relatively thin sheet structure to sufficiently secure a flow space of cold air toward the inlet 537 .

Hereinafter, the flow of cold air inside the storage space of the embodiment of the present invention having the above structure will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings.

16 is a view illustrating a cold air flow state of an evaporator and a fan motor assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention. And, FIG. 17 is a view showing the flow of cold air in the fan motor assembly and the duct assembly. And, FIG. 18 is a simulation diagram illustrating a cold air flow state in the upper storage space.

As shown in FIG. 16 , the blowing fan 511 may be driven to cool the refrigerating compartment 12 . When the blowing fan 511 rotates, the air inside the refrigerating compartment 12 may be introduced through the suction port 172a at the bottom of the rear cover 17 .

In addition, the air introduced into the space behind the rear cover 17 through the suction port 172a may flow upward. In this case, the blowing fan 511 is located above the evaporator 31 , and an inlet 537 through which air is introduced into the blowing fan 511 may be opened forward.

Accordingly, the air flowing backward through the suction port 172a flows forward again while flowing to the upper suction port 172a, and passes while crossing the evaporator 31 from the rear to the front. That is, the flow of air is made in the entire area before and after the evaporator 31, and heat exchange can be performed. Through the formation of such a flow path, the heat exchange efficiency of the evaporator 31 is improved and the cooling performance can be further improved.

If the inlet through which cold air is introduced toward the blowing fan is opened to face rearward, the air flowing backward through the suction port 172a flows directly upward along the second half of the evaporator 31, will flow into the inlet. Accordingly, the flow of air does not occur in a partial region of the first half of the evaporator 31 , so that heat exchange efficiency may be relatively low.

On the other hand, the cold air flowing while the cold air is introduced into the inlet 537 may be concentrated on the rear surface of the rear cover 17 , but the heat insulation is reinforced by the heat insulating material 173 to the front of the rear cover 17 . This can prevent local supercooling.

17 and 18 , the blowing fan 511 discharges air in a circumferential direction while rotating counterclockwise. The second flow path 42 is formed in the direction of the air discharged by the blowing fan 511 , and the second flow path 42 has an inlet larger than the diameter of the blowing fan 511 . can be

Accordingly, a sufficient amount of cold air may be supplied to the second flow passage 42 . The first flow path 41 is positioned further away from the second flow path 42 in the rotational direction of the blower fan 511 and has a structure extending upward. In addition, the width D1 of the inlet of the first flow passage 41 may be narrower than the inlet width D2 of the second flow passage. Accordingly, the amount of cold air flowing into the first flow passage 41 is relatively smaller than the amount of cold air flowing into the second flow passage 42 .

The cold air flowing along the first flow path 41 is discharged forward through the cold air outlet 171a to cool the refrigerating compartment 12 . In addition, the cold air introduced into the second flow path 42 flows upward along the second flow path 42 . Some of the cold air flowing along the second flow path 42 is discharged forward through the cold air outlet 171a to cool the refrigerating compartment 12 .

Meanwhile, the remaining part of the cold air flowing along the second flow path 42 is supplied to the door storage space 251 through the storage space duct 16 to cool the door storage space 251 .

In detail, since the second flow path 42 is branched into a main flow path 421 and a sub flow path 422 , cold air flowing through the main flow path 421 supplies cold air into the refrigerating compartment 12 . Then, the cold air flowing through the sub-channel 422 flows into the storage space duct 16 connected to the sub-channel 422, flows along the storage space duct 16, and then flows into the door storage space ( 251) can be supplied inside.

On the other hand, a defrosting operation is performed in order to prevent the cooling efficiency from being lowered by the evaporator 31 and the cold air being formed on the flow path.

Hereinafter, the discharge guide structure of the defrost water generated during the defrosting operation and the flow of cold air will be described with reference to the drawings.

19 is a view illustrating an air flow and defrost water discharge structure of the fan motor assembly. And, FIG. 20 is an enlarged view of part A of FIG. 19 . And, FIG. 21 is a simulation diagram illustrating an air flow state in the evaporator region.

As shown in the drawing, the evaporator 31 may be provided in the storage space, that is, the inner bottom of the refrigerating compartment 12 . In addition, a defrost heater 313 may be provided at a lower end of the evaporator 31 . The defrost heater 313 may be formed in a wire shape, and may be configured to be bent along the lower end of the evaporator 31 . The defrost heater 313 may be configured as a sheath heater, and may be operated during a defrosting operation to remove the frost formed on the evaporator 31 and the path through which the cold air flows.

During the defrosting operation, the frost formed on the evaporator 31 can be removed by the heat generated by the defrost heater 313 , and even the frost inside the fan motor assembly 50 and on the flow path can be melted. In addition, although not shown in detail, a drain pan 60 and a pipe for discharging defrost water may be further provided below the evaporator 31 . Accordingly, water falling from the fan motor assembly 50 and water flowing downward from the evaporator 31 by the defrosting operation may be discharged to the outside of the storage space 12 .

Meanwhile, the fan motor assembly 50 may be disposed above and adjacent to the evaporator 31 . In addition, the inlet 537 and the blowing fan 511 of the fan motor assembly 50 are located at the center with respect to the left and right directions of the evaporator 31 . Therefore, the cold air flows evenly in the entire area of the evaporator 31 .

In addition, a bottom hole 538 and a discharge guide 536 for discharging defrost water may be provided at a lower end of the fan motor assembly 50 . The bottom hole 538 and the discharge guide 536 may be provided on a lower surface of the fan motor assembly 50 . In addition, the bottom hole 538 and the discharge guide 536 may be positioned in a circumferential direction of the blowing fan 511 .

In detail, the bottom hole 538 may be formed in the front housing 53 and the rear housing 52 , and may include the front bottom hole 535 and the rear bottom hole 525 . That is, by coupling the front housing 53 and the rear housing 52 , the front bottom hole 535 and the rear bottom hole 525 may be connected to each other, and the bottom hole 538 may be defined.

The bottom hole 538 may be located at the lowest position of the front housing 53 and the rear housing 52 , so that water flowing along the front housing 53 and the rear housing 52 flows through the bottom. It can be made to fall downward by the hole 538.

In addition, the bottom hole 538 is located above the center of the evaporator 31 to prevent the defrost water falling from the evaporator 31 from falling on one side of one of the left and right sides of the evaporator 31 . there is.

The bottom hole ( ) may be located at the center with respect to the left and right directions of the evaporator ( ). In addition, the bottom hole ( ) may be located in a region between the left and right both ends of the blower fan ( ) vertically downward. That is, the bottom hole ( ) may be located below the area of the blowing fan ( ), and may be affected by the air blown by the blowing fan ( ). In addition, the discharge guide ( ) formed on one side of the bottom hole ( ) may also be disposed at the same position.

In addition, the discharge guide 536 may extend downward along the outer end of the bottom hole 538 . The discharge guide 536 may extend from one side of the front housing 53 and the rear housing 52, and is partially formed in the front housing 53 and the rear housing 52, respectively, if necessary. The front housing 53 and the rear housing 52 may be formed by being coupled to each other.

The discharge guide may extend downward from one end of the bottom hole 538 . For example, the bottom hole 538 may extend downward from a right end adjacent to the second guide part 55 among left and right sides of the bottom hole 538 .

In addition, the discharge guide 536 may extend obliquely. The discharge guide 536 may be formed to face the left side to be extended downward. In detail, an extension direction of the discharge guide 536 may be formed to extend in a direction opposite to a rotation direction of the blower fan 511 .

That is, when the blowing fan 511 is driven, the air inside the evaporator 31 may be sucked into the inlet and may be directed in the circumferential direction of the blowing fan 511 . At this time, the blowing fan 511 is rotated counterclockwise, and the air flowing in the circumferential direction of the blowing fan 511 is rotated counterclockwise like the rotation direction of the blowing fan 511 and can be discharged. there is.

Accordingly, the air discharged from the blower fan 511 can smoothly flow along the second guide part 55 due to the characteristics of the shape of the second guide part 55 extending upward after extending in the right direction. there is.

Meanwhile, since the exhaust guide 536 extends in a direction opposite to the flow direction of the air discharged from the blower fan 511 , the air flowing inside the fan motor assembly 50 is controlled by the exhaust guide 536 . It is the same as flowing in a direction that intersects with Accordingly, the air flowing along the inside of the fan motor assembly 50 may be blocked by the discharge guide 536 in the bottom hole 538 and thus be restricted from being discharged to the outside.

That is, the exhaust guide 536 is formed in a direction crossing the flow direction of the air inside the fan motor assembly 50 to block the flow of air introduced through the bottom hole 538 . If the discharge guide 536 extends in the same direction and in the same direction as the flow direction of the air discharged by the blower fan 511, the air passing through the bottom hole 538 is smoothed so that the bottom Air may be discharged downward through the hole 538 .

Also, the flow of air toward the inlet 537 in the evaporator 31 region may be blocked due to the discharge of the air downward, and due to this, the flow of air in a part of the right region of the evaporator 31 is lowered and partially Implantation may be increased.

However, as in the present embodiment, the discharge guide 536 extends in the direction of rotation of the blowing fan 511 , that is, in a direction opposite to the flow direction of the air discharged by the blowing fan 511 , so that the bottom hole Air exhausted through (538) is minimized.

Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 21 , the air passing through the bottom hole 538 flows out only to a central part of the evaporator 31 , and does not interfere with the air flow in the entire evaporator 31 . The evaporator 31 is directed toward the inlet 537 in a state in which the flow of air from the left and right sides is balanced as a whole, and thus the evaporator 31 is excessively implanted in a specific area, which adversely affects the supply of cold air. It is possible to prevent a problem from occurring or to a defrost operation.

Meanwhile, when it is determined that a defrost operation is necessary during operation of the refrigerator 1 , the defrost heater 313 is operated to melt the frost inside the evaporator 31 and the fan motor assembly 50 . In addition, the defrost water or condensed water generated inside the fan motor assembly 50 flows downward and falls to the bottom of the storage space through the bottom hole 538 located at the bottom. In this case, the defrost water or the dew condensation water passing through the bottom hole 538 may be discharged with a direction through the discharge guide 536 . For example, the discharge guide 536 may be directed toward a portion where the defrost water is discharged at the bottom of the storage space 12 to enable easier discharge of the defrost water, and the water in the evaporator 31 area It is possible to prevent the scattering and extensive burying.

Claims (20)

a cabinet in which a storage space is formed;
a door for opening and closing the storage space;
an evaporator provided in the storage space and cooling the storage space;
a duct assembly extending vertically above the evaporator to guide cool air supplied to the storage space;
a fan motor assembly coupled to a lower end of the duct assembly and forcibly blowing air into the duct assembly by sucking the air cooled by the evaporator; and
a rear cover disposed to shield the evaporator, the fan motor assembly, and the duct assembly to form a rear wall surface of the storage space, the rear cover having an inlet and an outlet formed therein;
a bottom hole formed through the fan motor assembly and opened toward the evaporator through which defrost water is discharged; and
The refrigerator further comprising a discharge guide extending obliquely from one side of the bottom hole and configured to cover at least a portion of the bottom hole when viewed from below.
The method of claim 1,
The bottom hole is formed on a lower surface of the fan motor assembly.
The method of claim 1,
The discharge guide extends from one end of the bottom hole, and extends in a direction facing the one end of the bottom hole.
The method of claim 1,
The discharge guide extends in a direction opposite to a rotation direction of a blower fan provided in the fan motor assembly.
The method of claim 1,
The exhaust guide extends in a direction crossing a flow direction of air discharged by a blower fan provided in the fan motor assembly.
The method of claim 1,
The bottom hole is positioned vertically downward between both ends of a blower fan provided in the fan motor assembly.
The method of claim 1,
The discharge guide is disposed on a bottom surface of the storage space and extends toward a drain pan for discharging the defrosting water to the outside of the storage space.
The method of claim 1,
The duct assembly includes a pair of first and second passages spaced apart from each other on left and right sides, and supplies cold air into the storage space through the first and second passages.
9. The method of claim 8,
and a storage space duct connected to the second flow path of the duct assembly and guiding a portion of the cold air flowing through the duct assembly to be supplied to the door side.
10. The method of claim 9,
The door is
a main door that opens and closes the storage space by rotation, a through opening is formed and a door storage member forming a door storage space accessible through the opening is mounted on the rear side;
It is provided in front of the main door and includes a sub-door that opens and closes the opening by rotation,
The storage space duct communicates with the door storage space when the main door is closed.
9. The method of claim 8,
The second flow path,
a main passage for supplying cold air to the refrigerating chamber;
and a sub-channel branched from the main flow path and connected to the storage space duct.
9. The method of claim 8,
The fan motor assembly comprises:
a fan module including a blowing fan that sucks in an axial direction and discharges it in a circumferential direction;
a front housing forming a front surface and having an inlet through which cold air is introduced at a position corresponding to the blowing fan;
and a rear housing coupled to the front housing to form a rear surface, the rear housing forming a space in which the fan module is accommodated and a space in which cold air flows toward the duct assembly.
13. The method of claim 12,
The evaporator is arranged to be biased to the side in which the first flow path is disposed with respect to the horizontal center of the storage space,
The blower fan is located on an extension line of the horizontal center of the evaporator.
13. The method of claim 12,
The front housing and the rear housing coupled to each other,
a first guide part extending upwardly from the upper side of the blowing fan and connected to the first flow path and guiding cool air discharged from the blowing fan to the first flow path;
A second guide part extending laterally and upward from one side facing the second flow path among the left and right sides of the blowing fan and connected to the second flow path, and guiding the cold air discharged from the blowing fan to the second flow path refrigerator.
13. The method of claim 12,
The blower fan rotates in a direction to pass through the first guide after first passing through the second guide with respect to the lower end of the fan motor assembly.
16. The method of claim 15,
The discharge guide extends from one side closer to the second guide part among both ends of the bottom hole.
16. The method of claim 15,
As the discharge guide extends downward, the refrigerator extends obliquely in a direction away from the second guide.
15. The method of claim 14,
The width of the inlet of the second guide is formed to be larger than the diameter of the blowing fan,
A width of the inlet of the first guide is smaller than a width of the inlet of the second guide.
15. The method of claim 14,
The blower fan is located between an upper end and a lower end of the inlet of the second guide unit.
15. The method of claim 14,
The bottom hole and the discharge guide are located at positions biased toward the second guide with respect to a vertical extension line passing through a center of the blowing fan.

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